


Teenage Superstar

by weddingbells



Category: One Direction (Band), Union J (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Boy Louis, Drug Addiction, First Love, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-02-22
Packaged: 2018-01-13 09:38:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1221445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weddingbells/pseuds/weddingbells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The perks of being friends with a famous boyband is that you can meet other famous boybands. Only maybe Josh Cuthbert wasn't expecting to meet Louis Tomlinson, his biggest celebrity crush of all time. And he really didn't expect to get so caught up in the mess that is that life, that he almost can't get out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Teenage Superstar

**Author's Note:**

> There are normal people in the world, and then there is me who is one hundred and ten percent obsessed with the thought of Josh Cuthbert and Louis Tomlinson dating. Okay. I ship them HARD. So this is really a fic that I probably shouldn't have written but I just can't help myself! I've planned for 6 chapters and I think that will be hit. Feedback means THE WORLD so please keep me going by just sending comments and remarks and anything. And start to ship Jolo Cuthlinson. Because once you go Jolo you never go back.

“We got through!!!”

“What?” The reception is really bad and Josh has trouble hearing his friend on the other end, because mostly there’s just disturbance. “George, I can’t hear you, what did you say?”

“Josh!!!” George is half crying, half laughing and Josh can hear Jaymi and JJ in the background as well. “We got through! We’re going to the live shows!”

“No fucking way!”

Josh’s jaw drops and his eyes get big, and he is almost on his way to drop his phone just in shock.

“Yes way!!” George is laughing and trying to keep talking. “We’re gonna be the next big boy band, you just wait!”

Josh laughs and gets tears in his eyes just with joy for his friends. Oh, they deserve this so much.

“Are you sure you’re not pulling a prank on me or something?”

“No doofus.” George laughs and Josh can tell that he is being sincere about the whole thing, George has never been good at lying anyway. “We’re through, fuck, we’re actually through! We made it!”

“Congratulations!” Josh squeals, suddenly realizing what this actually means. “Oh my god, you’re gonna be on national TV!”

“I KNOW!” George laughs and in the background Jaymi is shouting something. “Listen, we have to get going, we’re heading back to the UK but oh my god, can’t wait to see you!”

“You have to tell me everything.” Josh makes George promise. “Everything.”

“I promise, just let us get home first.” George laughs and then he hang up.

\--

Josh finds the picture of himself, JJ, George and Jaymi while browsing through the files on his laptop. It feels so long ago. The other three guys had been talking about auditioning for The X Factor for ages, and Josh couldn’t believe it that they actually managed to make it to the live shows.

Now Union J is on everybody’s lips, even though they left The X Factor with a 4th place, they are extremely popular and Josh is still having a hard time actually getting used to see his best friends on the covers of magazines, and on national TV, and on arenas like Wembley… It’s just really weird.

Josh smiles at the picture. It’s from when they first got home and Josh met them at the airport, his mum snapped the picture on his phone and it just feels like this was yesterday, kind of, and still it feels like it was such a long time ago.

He really can’t believe his best friends are now considered to maybe be the next, big boy band. Like One Direction that were in The X Factor the years before. Josh looks up at his walls that are covered in maybe a bit too much posters of the band, but Josh loves them, and he’s not going to take them down in the first place. One Direction’s music just speaks to him. He can’t even imagine life without their music.

Also, he might have a bit of a crush on Louis Tomlinson. Maybe. Not that it’s important. And really, he probably could have posters of Union J as well but it feels a bit creepy considering they are his best mates

On the table next to his bed is a signed picture from Union J and Josh smiles at it. Again, that’s _his friends._ The ones he grew up with, that he’s spent so many nights gossiping with, telling horror stories, spent countless hours shopping for new sneakers, complaining there’s not enough money, drinking coffee, going to the movies and listen to the latest pop music.

The world is crazy, sometimes.

\--

“… so then I told her that if she grew a pair of balls and an Adam’s apple then maybe, maybe I would be interested.”

“Oh, Jaymi.” JJ groans and then he laughs, as do Josh and George. “That was a bit harsh.”

“What, it’s true.” Jaymi grins and rolls some spaghetti on his fork and puts it in his mouth. “Also, I thought the big, fat engagement ring would be proof enough that I am not available. And the countless articles about me being openly gay.”

“Well, you should have let her down easy.” JJ smiles and shakes his head. “That was just cruel.”

“Well, how do _you_ let a girl down then when she’s hitting on you?” Jaymi grins, nudging George’s shoulder as he winks at JJ. JJ chuckles.

“I happen to often like the girls, Jaymi.”

“Not only girls, though.” Josh grins and JJ shakes his head.

“Well, that might be true. But still.”

George shakes his head and sips his ice tea before looking at his watch.

“Guys, we have to get going soon, sound check in an hour. You coming to the show, Josh?”

“Sorry, I can’t tonight.” Josh apologizes. “I have some… laundry I need to take care of.”

“Surprise you plan your laundry night just when One Direction are scheduled to do a livestream.” JJ blinks and then he pats Josh’s shoulder. “It’s okay mate. But, it’s not okay if you ditch us this Friday, we’re going to the release party of James Arthur’s new album and you _have_ to come with us. Pretty please?” He bats his eyelashes in Josh’s direction and Josh can’t help but laugh, even if JJ just made an evil comment about his obsession with One Direction.

“Fine, fine, I’ll be there.” He says and laughingly shakes his head. “I suppose you do need your arm candy.”

“That I do.” JJ grins and then finishes the last piece of his chicken. “Come on guys, eat up. And Jaymi, are you paying?”

\--

The livestream starts right on time, just a tiny bit late which is not that strange because there are often technical difficulties. Josh sits quiet in his room and watches. All of the One Direction boys are trying to squeeze into a couch, Zayn on Liam’s lap by the end of it causing twitter to explode and then there’s Louis and he’s… Louis, Josh thinks as he makes himself comfortable dreaming that it could be his hand, not Harry’s, that ruffle Louis’ hair, causing him to grin a little.

Josh sends off a few tweets just really to see if there’s anyone that will see it. It’s not.

\--

It’s not that Josh is really that picky when it comes to what to wear (except maybe for sneakers. He does love his sneakers) but since he ended up being best friends with the guys in a somewhat famous boy band it’s kind of important what you wear at the parties they bring you to.

Damn friends. Did they really have to go and get famous and therefor drag Josh into the _never-wear-the-same-thing-twice-at-parties-because-paparazzi-will-see-you-and-media-will-hunt-you-forever-circus_? Not really fair.

“What do I even wear to a release party?” Josh complains while being on skype with George. “Is it like a tuxedo thing? Or do I have to wear like… something even more fancy?”

George laughs and his webcam image gets a bit blurry.

“No, Josh, it doesn’t really matter, just wear something you like, I’m gonna wear my jeans and hoodie I think.”

“Well, it’s easy for you.” Josh complains with a pouty lip. “You are all cute and fluffy like a little kitten. No one cares if you wear the wrong thing. The rest of us though, we actually have to work to be this good looking. Not fair.”

George giggles and flicks his hair, which really just proves Josh’s points. George is adorable.

“Just stop obsessing over it, Joshie boy. It really isn’t that big of a deal, it’s just James Arthur and some X Factor-guests. Really, no big deal whatsoever.”

“Just James Arthur.” Josh repeats, with a mocking imitation of George’s voice. “You do know you’re talking about the guy that managed to get a number 1 single in like, no time at all? I don’t think there’s anything ‘just’ about him at all.”

George shakes his head and then he laughs again.

“Sorry, but James is just the guy that chased me with a tooth brush to me.”

“You are so weird.”

“And you love me don’t you.” George makes a pouty kiss face at Josh through his webcam, which Josh answers with a grimace.

“Are these jeans okay?” He asks, picking up a pair from the mess that is his bed and holds them up for the webcam for George to see.

“Yes, they are great. Now just get dressed, we’re sending a taxi to pick you up.”

“Maybe I should just go naked.” Josh complains which has George laughing again.

“Even if I bet most people wouldn’t complain about that I still suggest you put some clothes on. After all it’s cold outside. See you soon, love.”

\--

Josh decides that he will never, ever get used to this. Walking with his friends to a party and all of a sudden there’s lots of people there and they all want pictures with his best friends and interviewers wants comments and it’s just mad.

He smiles when the fifth girl that night trembling walks up to JJ asking for a hug and a picture, and her friend looks just as nervous as she holds up her phone to take the picture.

Sometimes people even want pictures of Josh, which is really weird, but he usually just goes for it and smiles into the camera, and then shamefully goes home and google himself to see where the pictures end up.

When they finally get to the nightclub where the release party is, they are a bit late but not really too late, and a really buff security guard lets them inside after making sure that no paparazzi or strange fans are following them.

Inside there’s music coming from everywhere, volume loud and everyone is dancing, enjoying cool drinks and looks like they are having lots of fun. Josh sticks to George’s side as JJ and Jaymi immediately spots some people they know in the crowd, which leaves George and Josh a bit to the side of the dance floor.

“You want something to drink?” George asks Josh, and he nods.

“Rum and coke. Without rum.”

George grins.

“Excellent choice. I’ll be right back.”

Josh looks nervously around at the rest of the people while George goes to the bar to order. It’s difficult to not feel a bit out of place, all the people here are somewhat famous, extremely gorgeous and they are dressed in really nice clothes that were probably really expensive.

Josh eyes the floor for a while, hoping that no one will notice that he actually bought his jeans at H&M and the shirt is a fake Ralph Lauren that his cousin bought him on a trip to Thailand.

He thinks that maybe some girl he recognizes as a TV-host is eyeing him and his clothes, judging deeply, but then George appears at his side again and Josh sighs with relief, grabbing the coke from George.

“You are a life saver.”

“It’s just a coke.” George grins. “But I’m glad you appreciate my effort. So, you find any cool people yet?”

Josh shakes his head.

“No, not really I…” He interrupts himself because he is just looking at the crowd closer to the stage part of the club and suddenly he notices something really, really familiar and he almost, almost faints.

“George.” Josh hisses, pulling his friend away from the crowd, because George all of a sudden starts walking in that direction. The idiot. “You didn’t tell me… That’s One Direction, George!!!”

George looks over at the crowd and a smile dances on his lips when he notices the other boys, and then how Josh’s eyes are so big they are almost about to pop out from his skull.

“Yes, so?”

“George, that’s…” Josh can’t even really go on, and he grabs George arm again, squeezing it tightly. “One Direction, George! That’s the _world’s current biggest_ boyband. That’s… One Direction!”

George laughs and pats Josh’s shoulder with a sympathetic look on his face.

“Oh, poor Joshie. A bit of a fanboy are we?”

“Are you kidding?” Josh hisses again, and nervously he looks over at the other boys. Jaymi and JJ seem to notice that something is up, so they start making their way over to Josh and George again, while Josh is still hissing angrily at George, as if he is to blame for the whole thing. “One Direction is my favorite boy band! You know this! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that they would be here! This is… this is awful of you. You know I love them. You need to give me a warning, I…” He looks down at his outfit and suddenly yes, it really bothers him that he picked this shirt with those jeans. Why, why, why?

“Hey, best friend here getting offended.” JJ says and he makes a gesture of a knife being stuck into his heart. “I thought _we_ were your favourite boy band, we are your best friends after all!”

Josh waves off his comment.

“Nope, sorry boys, but One Direction are just… wow, they are One Direction. There’s funny Niall and cute Harry and moody Zayn and caring Liam and… and…” His voice fades out and he gets something dreamy in his eyes that has Jaymi rolling his eyes.

“Oh please, stop it with your Louis-is-so-dreamy-talk, please. He is really not that hot.”

Josh turns around to face Jaymi and he almost looks a bit pissed.

“Jaymi, Louis Tomlinson is the hottest thing on this earth. He is the reason the word hot was _invented_ in the first place. He and the band are just gorgeous and they are so talented and…”

“They are coming this way.” JJ interrupts and he smiles when he notices the other boys making their way through the crowd. “Hi boys.”

“Hi, Union J lads!” Niall says and his Irish accent is even more apparent this close and Josh swallows as the other boys shake hand with the four boys. Louis seems to be missing, and Josh’s eyes wander over the crowd to see if he can see him, but he doesn’t. Huh.

“Hi, George.” Harry says with a warm smile and gives George a hug and then proceeds to hugging the rest of them as well, stopping just as he notices Josh because he doesn’t know Josh.

“Who’s your friend?” Liam asks, eyeing Josh with a warm smile. JJ grins and pats Josh’s shoulder.

“This is our best friend, Josh.”

“Hi, Josh.”

“Nice to meet you, Josh.”

“Pleasure.”

“You enjoying the party, Josh?”

Josh is embarrassed and overwhelmed as he shakes hands with all of the boys. He can’t believe they are so close and he just doesn’t know what to say, hell, he doesn’t even know how to _breathe_.

“I… uhm… nice to meet you all, I… I need to go to the bathroom, I’ll be right back.” He stumbles out and ignores the amusing looks from Jaymi.

Fuck, he really just needs some air. How has this become his life?

He finds some sort of escape route door, and he manages to fumble with the handle and get outside, stumbling right out in an alley. There’s no people there and he can only hear the music playing softly from inside, and he takes a deep, shaky breath and leans against the door, trying to calm his nerves.

He really needs to talk to his so-called best friends about bringing him to parties without actually warning him that One Direction will be there. It’s not really fair to have to go through this, a guy needs his warning, some time to prepare to not make a fool out of himself like he had back there.

A low cough interrupts his trail of thoughts and he looks up, puzzled.

“No, I am not signing autographs today.”

Josh’s eyes widen when he realize that there actually is someone else in the alley, someone with a perfectly styled hair, dressed in a simple, black shirt underneath a white jacket, with skin tight black jeans and boots. Holding his phone, scrolling endlessly on it.

Louis Tomlinson.

 _Louis Tomlinson_ is standing next to him.

Josh is surprised he just doesn’t fall over and die because of the shock. He swallows and tries not to freak out but oh god, Louis is gorgeous and perfect and if Josh thought he was so before from pictures and videos that is nothing, nothing compared to what Louis is in real life because wow.

Louis Tomlinson is a freaking _god._

Louis shakes his head and Josh watches almost in trance how he lets his phone slide into his pocket. Impressive how it even fits in those tight jeans. He swallows again.

“Uhm, I…”

“I said, no autographs. Or is that not why you’re here?”

Josh shakes his head.

“No, I…” Josh desperately tries to regain his ability to speak, and then almost without even noticing he offers his hand for Louis to shake. “I was just getting some air, uhm, I’m Josh Cuthbert.”

“Cuthbutt?” Louis asks, his voice amused and he is almost chuckling, just not quite. He shakes Josh’s hand and Josh is just about to reply to the comment when he notices how Louis’ eyes trail over his body, down to his bum and then up to meet his eyes again, looking pleased. Wow. Wow.

So Louis Tomlinson did just check him out. Okay. Okay.

So maybe there had been more than a few rumours about members of One Direction being gay, but Josh really thought that it was just maybe Harry that was gay or something but that he would actually be so lucky that Louis…

And now Louis _‘I am so good looking even cameras get scared’_ Tomlinson is checking him out.

The nobody Josh Cuthbert. Okay, okay.

He swallows and takes a deep breath, trying to regain consciousness of the situation and actually answer to Louis’ remark.

“No, Cuthbert.” He finally says. “Josh _Cuthbert_.”

“I see.” Louis still looks amused and he reaches into his back pocket this time, fishing out a packet of cigarettes. “You want a smoke?”

Josh shakes his head, almost a bit too quick.

“Don’t smoke.”

“I didn’t either.” Louis says, and then he looks at the cigarettes and grabs one, lighting it, inhaling and then exhaling a puff of smoke before eyeing Josh again. “These are Zayn’s really. He will be so pissed when he finds out I nicked them.”

Josh swallows. He really doesn’t know what to say because he is more than a bit stunned by the way Louis Tomlinson is just standing there, like this is completely normal. He feels like a complete idiot.

“So, why are you out here, then? You hate parties too?” Louis continues when Josh doesn’t say anything to answer to the cigarette-comment.

Josh shakes his head again, trying to meet Louis’ eyes without actually swooning.

“No, I, there were just… a bit of a big crowd.”

Louis laughs. When Louis laughs is eyes almost sparkle and it’s a bit impossible not to get all jelly legged. So of course Josh feels his leg slowly turning into jelly and he reach out for the wall, trying to casually lean against it just for no reason, when really it’s just to still be able to stand up straight.

“Then why did you come? You must know release parties like this tend to get quite big.”

Josh swallows again.

“I, uhm, I am friends with Union J and they invited me. I figured I’d tag along, I didn’t…”

Louis looks a bit confused, as if he tries to remember something, and then he snaps his fingers.

“Oh, right. Union J. The new guys. They are okay, loving the gay guy’s tattoos.”

“His name is Jaymi.” Josh enlightens him and he doesn’t mean to sound snappy, but apparently he does because Louis backs away, hands in the air.

“Woah there, didn’t mean to step on your toes.”

“No, I didn’t…” Josh stammers. “Uhm, sorry, I’m a bit… tired.”

Louis’ amused smile is still dancing on his lips when he watches Josh. It’s really not fair. Josh didn’t ask for this. Okay, so the perks of being friends with someone famous was that you could get the chance to meet famous people, but he did not expect to meet _One Direction_. And to be alone with Louis! Louis, the guy on X Factor that sang straight into Josh’s heart, that actually made him realize that no, there’s not only girls that he likes, he can go for boys as well, at least for Louis Tomlinson. It’s just bound to end up being awkward.

Louis sighs, dropping his cigarette to the ground before stepping on it and then he looks at the door.

“Well fuck, I guess there’s not really much more keeping me from heading inside again. I should go meet with my boys.”

Josh nods and stares at Louis for a moment, he tries to help himself but he just can’t. Louis grins as he notices it.

“You’re cute, Cuthbutt. Maybe I’ll see you around.” He grins as he walks past Josh to open the door. Josh clears his throat and tries to keep his voice steady as he speaks.

“Uhm. Cuth _bert_.”

Louis’ amused smile gets even bigger but Josh can’t see that.

“Well, that too.”

\--

“I am telling you, JJ, Louis Tomlinson checked me out. Me! He looked at my butt!”

JJ is keeping a straight face as Josh’s goes on, but Josh can tell he’s trying really hard not to start laughing. Josh doesn’t care, he keeps talking.

“And he made it sound like he wants to see me around like, seriously, JJ! _Louis Tomlinson checked me out_!”

“I know, I heard you the first time.” JJ smiles. “And the second time. And the third one. And even the twelfth time.”

Josh sighs and lay down on the bed, arms crossed behind his head as JJ remains standing, just looking at his friend that right now is a total mess.

“I can’t believe you actually go to parties with One Direction.”

“Doesn’t happen that often.” JJ laughs. “So don’t worry, I’ll try not to invite you next time.”

Josh sits up.

“What, no, JJ, you have to get me into all the parties where One Direction are, you have to promise me!”

JJ shakes his head and chuckles, a bit too amused with how is friend is acting. He takes a look at Josh’s walls that are still covered with One Direction posters.

“You have a crush?”

Josh turns deep red.

“No, I…”

JJ’s smile gets bigger and he sits down next to Josh.

“Josh, it’s okay, I think pretty much the whole world has a crush on Louis. And well, if he did check you out…”

“He did, it’s true.” Josh tells him and JJ smiles, but the smile then falters and he looks up at the posters again.

“Just be a bit careful, okay? I mean, if you’re going to meet him again. Word’s going around that Louis isn’t really… well… Not really a good guy.”

Josh shakes his head.

“Stop, he’s just bound to be the bad guy of the band, that’s all. I’m sure he’s really sweet and all that.”

JJ shakes his head like he doesn’t believe that.

“I am not really sure okay? Anyway, isn’t Zayn that one? Just… I’ve just heard some things and… I don’t want you being caught in something that’s just…” JJ’s voice trail off and then he looks at Josh with a smile. “But on the other hand, maybe we’re going a bit too quick here. After all you only talked to him for like five minutes, right?”

Josh gets something dark in his eyes and he throws a pillow at JJ who laughingly catches it with both his hands.

“Shut up. Louis Tomlinson checked me out, you’re not taking this away from me!”

“I’m not trying to!” JJ promises him and throws the pillow back at him. “I am sure your undying love for each other will soon be seen in all the magazines and on the big screens. Right?”

“Yes.” Josh says, feeling defensive. “We will end up together.”

JJ snickers and pats Josh’s shoulder.

“Of course Josh love. Of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](http://shellett-is-my-oxygen.tumblr.com/)


End file.
